2020-21 Welcome Letter from Summit's New Head of School, Kurt Pusch
Dear Summit Families,
Summit’s mission and the unique qualities of a Summit education are more important now than ever. As our community navigates the disruption and challenge of this current pandemic, Summit is uniquely positioned to ensure our students continue to discover, learn, and grow to become the leaders of tomorrow. Through small class sizes, expansive facilities and outdoor learning spaces, a commitment to place-based education that embraces opportunities for learning in dynamic and evolving contexts and settings, and at the heart of it all--our incredibly dedicated faculty, families, and students--Summit’s defining attributes enable us to adapt to the challenges before us.
The 2020-21 school year, Summit’s 24th, introduces a new paradigm in our children’s education, from social distancing and new health procedures on campus to remote learning from home. We can be sure that this will be a most formative period in our children’s lives. True to our Summit spirit, we will embrace this time as an opportunity for our students to grow in mind and character, leaning into our Seven Virtues as the foundation of our children’s Summit education. Through challenge and change, we will find opportunities for innovation and creativity as we remain steadfast in our commitment to Summit’s mission and to the defining qualities of a Summit education—academic excellence, strength of character, and nurturing the whole-child.
Though this school year will be different, I have full faith that, together, we will ensure Summit continues to be the school that we know and love. We are indeed all in this together as One Summit Family.
With gratitude,
Kurt Pusch
828-743-5755
About Kurt Pusch
Kurt Pusch joined Summit's as its new Head of School on July 1, 2019. Most recently, Kurt served as Chief Schools Officer at KIPP Colorado Schools, overseeing six charter schools serving nearly 2,000 students from early childhood through twelfth grade with the mission of educating students to develop the knowledge, skills, and character for success in college and life. Prior to his tenure at KIPP, where he also served as principal, academic dean, and middle school history teacher, Pusch was a Teach For America Corps Member, serving as a fourth grade teacher at Northside Elementary School in Norlina, NC. He graduated from The Lovett School in Atlanta, Colgate University in Hamilton, NY and received his Master of Education in Administration and Supervision from National Louis University in Chicago, IL. In June, Kurt received his Executive Master of Business Administration from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management. Kurt lives in Trillium with his wife M.C. Pusch and has four wonderful children: Briggs (8), Kate (6), McKinley (4) and Henry (2).